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Obituaries

On Dec. 28, 2017, Gloria Peetz peacefully passed away surrounded by her loving family from complications of a severe stroke. Born Gloria Kulhanek to Gordon and Evelyn (Wondrash) Kulhanek on Dec. 6, 1941. As a child, she loved to wander the woods and hills with her Grandfather John.

With her husband Jim (deceased), they had four children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was a kind, gentle spirit who loved flowers and animals. She had a smile for everyone and could talk to anyone.

John Paul Aldridge passed away on Saturday, May 5, 2018, at the age of 65 after losing his battle to liver disease. John was born in Laurium, Michigan, on Oct. 4, 1952, the son of James D. and Cordie Aldridge.

He is survived by his immediate family, wife, Joy Aldridge, son, Matt Aldridge, and twin granddaughters, Madeline and Josephine Aldridge; Steve Aldridge and family, and Jay Aldridge and family.

John enjoyed life and engaging people. His loves were his family, friends, his dogs, boating, and four-wheeling.

John honored his co-workers and thought of them as family.

A Celebration of John’s Life will be held Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage. John requested to be cremated.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial will be made in John’s name to be dispersed to different humane societies.

She was born in New London on June 28, 1945, a daughter of the late Lester D. Prahl and Margaret (Gough). Pat was married to John D. Kmecheck on Nov. 16, 1968, and together they raised four children. Pat was “mom” to many of her children’s friends over the years and had also worked as a beautician and later as a manager of several gas stations in the Sheboygan Falls area.

Pat loved nature and watching wildlife out her window, she was an avid fan of the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers, and also enjoyed sewing, canning and rummage sales. She will be sadly missed.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at Breed Union Cemetery at 10 a.m. with Pastor Bill Krauss officiating. Gruetzmacher Funeral Home in Suring is assisting the family with arrangements.

Ralph “Jack” VandenBush, 90, Oconto Falls, died early Thursday morning, April 26, 2018, at Atrium Post Acute Care. He was born Dec. 17, 1927, in the Town of Morgan to William and Rose (Wood) VandenBush. Jack grew up in the Oconto Falls area, where he graduated high school with the class of 1946. As a young man, he entered the U.S. Navy and was a member of Admiral Byrd’s expedition to the Antarctic Circle in 1947. Upon his honorable discharge from the military, he returned home to Oconto Falls.

Gloria Cottrell, 84, of Oconto Falls, died April 22, 2018, after a long illness. She was born in Taylor County to Charles and Clara (Pinkert) Schwark.

She graduated from Medford High School and St. Joseph School of Nursing in Marshfield. During her rotation at Winnebago State Hospital in Oshkosh, she met her future husband, Gerald, and they married in 1955 in Medford.

While in school, she was recruited by Dr. Clyde Siefert, who was completing his internship at Marshfield, to work at Community Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls, where she worked from September 1954 until her marriage to Gerald.

The couple moved to Madison, where Gerald attended the University of Wisconsin and Gloria worked as an industrial nurse for Oscar Meyer and also a private duty nurse. They studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses while living there.

Erma was born in the town of Gillett on Feb. 12, 1919, a daughter of the late Bernard and Hulda (Zielke) Zastrow. In 1936, Erma was married to Ferdinand “Fritz” Miller, and together they farmed and raised four children. Erma loved gardening at the family farm and raising violets all year ‘round, particularly in winter. Fritz preceded Erma in death in 1984, and she later remarried to Elmer Langhoff. Elmer preceded Erma in death in 2003.

SAN DIEGO — Martha Chartier passed away in her home surrounded by her family on April 2, 2018, after 102½ years on this earth. She had been lovingly cared for by her family in the last years, especially by her son, Leon, his significant other Sandra, and her daughters, Delores and Carolynn.

Martha was born in Wisconsin in September 1915 and married Russell Chartier in May 1936. They moved to San Diego with their two oldest children in 1942. She raised eight children and three grandchildren. Martha has outlived many of her closest and dearest friends and relatives but never stopped making new ones. Martha lost one son, Robert, in 1979, and her husband of nearly 50 years, Russell, in 1984. Martha was always young at heart; she traveled the world after her husband’s death, visiting Japan, Europe, China, England and Australia. She was a member of many organizations over the years, including the Peninsula Women’s Club, the Thursday Club and the Catholic Daughters of America.

Cynthia L. Seifert, 59, of Mountain, passed away on Saturday, April 21, 2018, after fighting a good fight with cancer. Cindy was born on Jan. 29, 1959, to Don and Barbara (Pape) Seifert. She married Steven Schelk on Sept. 7, 2013. Cindy enjoyed spending time at home on the back deck, enjoying the outdoors with her dog, gardening, cooking and spending time with her husband, friends and family. She cared greatly for others and wanted to make sure that everyone around her was taken care of.

Cindy is survived by her husband and partner of 17 years, Steven Schelk; parents, Don and Barbara; two siblings, Michael (Tess Davis) Seifert and Debbie (Jim) Denhardt; four nephews. She is further survived by many other relatives and friends.

Dolores M. Pendl, age 94, of Suring, passed away on Friday, April 13, 2018. Dolores was born on April 15, 1923, to the late August and Margaret (Collier) Kebschull at home. She attended and graduated from Suring schools. Dolores was employed in Chicago for a number of years where she met and married Charles Pendl in 1944. They moved to Suring in 1947 and had an insurance agency and later Pendl Real Estate Co. until Charles’ death in 1989.